


Greed vs. Charity

by greenmtwoman



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:00:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26759845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenmtwoman/pseuds/greenmtwoman
Summary: Brienne has a charitable idea.  Cersei has a greedy one.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 8
Kudos: 76
Collections: Jaime x Brienne Week 2020





	Greed vs. Charity

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in a hurry - I didn't think I had an idea for this pair of sins and virtues, and then I found one. So it's a little rough, but here it is.

“Fully a quarter of the families in King’s Landing don’t have enough to eat in a given week,” she told him earnestly.

Jaime was uncertain why he’d even agreed to see the tall woman leaning across his desk. He hadn’t spoken a word to her since a brief introduction when she’d been hired three months ago. He’d seen her around the office, of course; her height combined with her homely face made her noticeable, but she was extremely shy. It was surprising that she’d sought a meeting with him.

“In Flea Bottom the figure is higher. Nearly _half_ the children go to bed hungry.” Brienne Tarth’s blue eyes contrasted oddly with her mismatched features. “Lanniscorp can’t solve the problem alone, but there’s no excuse – none – for not doing what we can.”

“Please sit down, Ms. Tarth and stop looming over me.” She sat quickly, and looked at the floor, embarrassed. Jaime leaned back in his chair. “’We’? What do you suggest that ‘we’ do?”

She managed to meet his eyes again. “Have you looked at the waste coming out of this office? Out of the lunchroom?”

“The lunchroom? Do we have a lunchroom? Have I ever eaten in the lunchroom?”

“Of course you haven’t. No one named Lannister ever sets foot in there.”

“How’s the food? Maybe I should try it.”

A reluctant smile tugged at her mouth. “It’s not _too_ bad.”

“Your enthusiasm is eloquent. What do you want to do with this not- _too_ -bad food?”

“Every day, perfectly good, uneaten prepared meals go in the garbage. Fruit, vegetables, bread, too, they’re thrown away untouched. Anything left over gets dumped.”

“What’s your idea?”

“There are food banks and soup kitchens that would love to take the food. They _need_ it. I cook and serve at one every week. There are people who line up hours in advance for the chance of a decent meal.”

“I never thought of that.”

“Of course you didn’t; your family lives in a different universe.”

Why should he care? But there was something appealing in her seriousness. “I’ll make a suggestion, but don’t get your hopes up.”

*****************************

“It’s not our problem. Why would it be?” Cersei raised her perfect eyebrows. “If these people can’t feed their children, they shouldn’t have them. Or they should get out of their hovels and work harder. I work hard; why can’t they?”

Jaime looked out her huge window down in the direction of Flea Bottom. Cersei’s office was like her: Beautiful, carefully maintained and full of sharp edges.

“Not everyone was born a Lannister.”

She rested a manicured hand on his arm. “Only those with enough brains and beauty. Like us.”

“Like our brother?” She dropped her hand and turned away from him. “There are always exceptions.”

“It would be good public relations to do this.”

“To be associated with Flea Bottom? I don’t think so.”

“You’re conspicuous at the Blessed Baelor Charity Ball every year.”

“That’s different. It’s a networking opportunity. You can go back and tell this person, whoever it is…”

“Brienne Tarth; she’s a newly hired analyst.”

“It doesn’t matter; they come and go; I never learn their names. Although… Now that I think of it, the idea of all that waste _is_ disturbing. Tell your idealistic young woman that if she wants to make an impression on me, she can find someone, a restaurant or catering company, to buy our leftovers. Now that would be a good solution.”

Jaime was still looking at Flea Bottom, where the roofs were jammed together with no space and no greenery between them. “You really are a piece of work, dear sister. I have an alternate scenario to propose to you.”

*************************

The room was underground and dingy. Not exactly dirty; he could see that every effort was made to keep it clean, but everything was scuffed, dull, worn and cracked. It was down a narrow side street, but not hard to find. As Brienne had said, there was a line.

He found her easily because of her height, though her pale hair was hidden under a plastic cap and her hands were gloved. Wearing an apron, she stood at least a foot above most of the people waiting, who had a stunted, defeated look, though their children were still lively, and shouts and chatter bounced off the low ceiling. Brienne rationed her expressions at work, he had begun to notice, maintaining a serious and stoic face. Here, she greeted every person she served with a smile, even if it wasn’t returned. She bent down to talk to the children. Jaime watched her unnoticed for a few minutes, until people began to look at him oddly. He was out of place.

Brienne’s smile when he appeared at her shoulder was a small and cautious version of the one she gave the people she was feeding. “Hello, Mr. Lannister. Have you come to check out what happens here?”

“I’ve done some research, and I’ve been watching you for a little while.”

“Oh – you have?” She turned red. Her face was shiny with perspiration. “Please let me finish serving; there are still people waiting.”

He leaned against the wall behind her, looking as she efficiently but smilingly handed out plates of chicken stew, beans, carrots, bread and butter, and even cake. Finally she stripped off her gloves. “There’s a break now until it’s time to clean up.”

“I spoke to Cersei.”

“What did she say?”

“I got her to agree.”

Brienne’s eyes lit up in her sweaty face. “That’s wonderful! I’m so glad she recognized the need.” Her expression was so guilelessly pleased it was painful.

“That’s not exactly what happened. Her first idea, when she heard about the surplus food, was to say we should sell it at a profit. If that weren’t possible, she’d rather it was thrown away, not given to lazy scroungers in Flea Bottom.”

“But… but… That’s awful.”

“It would be maximizing shareholder value. I’ve known my twin since birth. I know her better than I want to.”

“You said she _agreed_.”

“After I showed her the message I was ready to send to the editor of the KL Raven describing her comments. I said they could quote me. I invited them to take pictures of the waste. Cersei may not care about the smallfolk, but she cares a great deal about her image.” Jaime hesitated. “I’m sorry to say that you’re now in her bad graces, along with me. She’s not one for forgiving and forgetting, but I can deal with it. I’m family. You’re not.”

“Oh.” Her voice was soft.

“I’ll run interference as much as I can.”

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.” She straightened, and he looked up at her slightly. “It’s been fine working for Lanniscorp, but they’ve offered me a job here. An actual paid job running the program. The money isn’t much, but I’m going to take it.”

It was his turn to say, “Oh.”

“Thank you very much for your help. Do you know who we should contact to get the donations up and running?”

He made a spur of the moment decision. “That would be me.”

“You? I didn’t expect…”

“How else can I make sure it goes smoothly?” He liked the idea of seeing her again.

“Well…” She looked down and reddened again. “That’s very charitable of you. Umm, it’s time to start clearing, so I’ll say goodbye.”

“I’ll help.”

“No, you don’t have to do that, Mr. Lannister! You’ve already been so kind, and it’s a messy job…”

He reached for an apron. “And my name is Jaime.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Some corporations do participate in a program where their perfectly good extra food goes to food pantries. I was also remembering the Purple Wedding, where Margaery announces that the leftovers will be given to the poor, and Cersei commands that they be sent to the dogs in the kennels instead.


End file.
